Window regulator



Dec. 5, 1933. s. w. NICHOLSON WINDOW REGULATOR 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 23, 1931 E61- IN VE N TOR EEHZ W Mafia/5027 A T TOR/VE Y Dec. 5, 1933. NICHQLSON 1,937,906

WINDOW REGULATOR Filed March 23, 1951 3 SheetsSheet 2 INVENTOR EZEVHZ W MshuZszm Br $0M WINDOW REGULATOR Filed March 23, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 nvmvroe 71 SEN/5y MMFfiJ/Mi 70 BY ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 5, 1933 PATENT OFFICE WINDOW REGULATOR Stanley W. Nicholson, Milwaukee, Wis., assignor to Briggs & Stratton Corporation, Milwaukee, Wis, a corporation of Delaware Application March 23, 1931.

Serial No. 524,588

25 Claims. (01. 268--132)' This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in window regulators of the type used with automotive vehicles.

The modern design of automotive vehicles often involves unusually shaped windows in which vertical guides at both sidesof the window are impossible. shapes necessitated the use of expensive regulators having a double arm lift. This invention, therefore, contemplates as one of its objects, the provision of an inexpensive regulator having means whereby a single connection with the window positively guides the window and holds the same against any tendency to tip.

Another object of this invention resides in the provision of a window regulator having pinion means successively engageable with a rack secured to the window whereby a comparatively short stub rack may be used to obtain the full 20 range of window movement.

Another object of this invention resides in the provision of vertically spaced pinion gears driven from a common actuator and operable upon a rack member fixed to the window, one. pinion becoming operative before the other leaves the rack member.

A further object of this invention resides in the provision of a frame member having a rack guide and mounting a pair of vertically spaced pinions 30 adapted to mesh with a rack in said guide and a wobble frame adapted to be driven from a conventional crank handle and drivingly connected with the pinions whereby the pinions aresimultaneously driven to raise and lower the rack.

And a still further object of this invention is to provide a window regulator of more compact construction and smoother action.

With the above and other objects in View which will appear as the description proceeds, my invention resides in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts substantially as hereinafter described and more particularly defined by the appended claims, it being understood that such changes in the precise embodiment of ,the hereindisclosed invention may be made as come within the scope of the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, I have illusseveral complete examples of the physical O embodiment of my inventionconstructed accord-.

ing tc the best modes I have so far devised for the practical application of the principles thereof,

and in which: p Y

Figure lis an elevational view of a typical 5 automotive vehicle door with portions thereof Heretofore windows of such unusual broken away and illustrating my invention applied thereto;

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view taken through Figure l on the plane of the line 2-2;

Figure 3 is an elevation of the regulator per se taken on the plane of the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a cross sectional view taken through Figure 3 on the plane of the line 4-4;

Figure 5 is a cross sectional view taken through Figure 3 on the plane of the line 5-5; and

Figures 6, '7 and 8 are side elevations of slightly modified forms of my invention.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals designate like parts throughout the several views, the numeral 10 designates the frame of a conventional vehicle door, the upper portion of which is provided with a window opening 11 adapted to be closed by a glass window pane 12 slidably mounted in the frame in the usual manner.

The sides of the frame 10 are connected at their medial portion by a transverse panel or stiffening member 13 which has its rigidity increased by a vertical brace 14 connected at its lower end with the bottom of the door frame 10.

Raising and lowering of the window 12 is effected by means of a novel regulator structure indicated generally by the numeral 15 and supported from the transverse panel 13 and the vertical brace 14.

The regulator comprises a stationary mounting frame 16 having top and bottom bars 1'7 and 18 respectively, connected by a vertical side bar 19 and a diagonal brace 20. This stationary frame is mounted on the door by having its top bar 17 fixed to the transverse panel 13 by a substantially U shaped strap 21 riveted or otherwise secured to the bar 1'7 and the panel 13 at its outer down turned ends, and by a second U shaped strap 22 fixed to the end of the lower bar 18 opposite the vertical bar 19 and the vertical brace 14. Besides the vertical bar 19 and the diagonal brace 20, the top and bottom bars 17 and 18 of the stationary frame are connected by a rack guide 23 substantially channel shaped in cross section and secured to the ends of the top and bottom bars opposite the vertical bar 19. .The. stationary frame is preferably so positioned with respect to the weight of the window to be operated that the axis of the rack guide 23 is substantially in line with the center of gravity of the window.

The rack guide, as stated, is substantially channel shaped in cross section and has an inner side flange 24 and an outer side flange 25. The outer flange has its marginal edge turned inwardly, as

at 26, to lie parallel with the bottom of the channel shaped guide and slidably retain a rack 2'7 therein. The rack 27 has its upper end fixed to the window pane by means of a block 28 welded or otherwise secured to the rack and likewise fixed to a channel 29 in which the lower edge of the window pane is secured.

The connection between the rack and the channel 29 being rigid and the rack being guided between the side flanges 24 and 25 of the guide, provides a rigid non-tilting guide for the window pane, irrespective of the shape of the window and independent of any other guide means.

The rack is so positioned in its guide that its toothed edge lies adjacent the inner flange 24 of the guide and the flange 24 is cut away, as at 30, and 31, to permit pinion gears 32 and 33 rotatably mounted on the stationary top and bottom bars 17 and 18 to project into the guide and mesh with the teeth of the rack. The pinion gears 32 and 33 are simultaneously driven to elevate or lower the window, by means of a substantially rectangular wobble frame 34 eccentrically connected, as at 35 and 36, with the pinion gears 32 and 33 respectively. In the embodiment shown, the wobble frame 34 consists of spaced side bars 37 and 38 connected at their top and bottom respectively by cross pieces 39 and40 and strengthened by a diagonal brace 41, but a solid one-piece plate may be employed.

At the upper corner of the wobble frame or plate opposite its connection with the pinion gear 32, it is eccentrically connected, as at 42, with a drive disc 43 fixed to the inner end of a drive shaft 44 rotatably mounted in the stationary frame and adapted to be operated by means of a hand crank 45 fixed to the outer end of the shaft which projects through the transverse door panel 13.

Surrounding the shaft 44 between the stationary frame and the door panel 13 is a brake mechanism 46 of conventional construction which permits rotation of the shaft and consequently actuation of the wobble plate by means of a crank 45, but prevents forced raising or lowering of the window by stress applied to the pane 10.

At the remaining corner of the wobble frame, namely the lower corner opposite its connection with the pinion gear 33, a disc 47 is positioned between the wobble frame and the stationary frame. The disc 47 is p'ivotallymounted from the stationary frame, as at 48, and is pivotally connected with the wobble frame, as at 49, and coiled about the disc is a spiral spring 50 the inner end of which is secured to the disc, as at 51, and the outer end 52 is hooked over a stud 53 secured to the stationary frame. The spiral spring is so wound that during actuation of the regulator to lower the window, it winds up and balances the weight of the window to facilitate actuation of the regulator.

By providing two pinion gears spaced one above the other and driving them in unison, the space required for the regulator is reduced to a minimum in that a comparatively short rack may be employed. The length of the rack is only slightly greater than the distance between the pinion gears 32 and 33 so that as the rack leaves one gear the other picks it up and continues the driving action.

The principle of applicants invention is susceptible to various embodiments, and in Figures 6, 7 and 8 different modifications of the invention are shown. In Figure 6, a rack member 54 of special design is provided. Two pinion gears 55 and 56 fixed to a shaft 5'7 which in turn is driven through bevel gears 58 from the crank actuated shaft 44, are adapted to mesh with the rack and drive the same. The shaft 57 carrying the gears 55 and 56 is mounted at an angle to the axis of the rack member 54 so that the gears 55 and 56 are spaced vertically one above the other, and inasmuch as they are also spaced horizontally from each other the rack member has two sets of teeth 59 and 60, the teeth of which are out at an angle to properly mesh with the pinion gears 55 and 56.

When the window is in its lowermost position, the gear 56 is meshed with the teeth 60 of the rack member and as the window is elevated and the teeth 59 begin to mesh with the gear 55, the gear 56 leaves the teeth 60; and as in the em-- bodiment illustrated in the Figures 1 to 5 inclusive, the rack member is positively guided for vertical motion by means of a guide member 61. The inner end of the shaft 57 to which the gears 55 and 56 are secured is mounted from the guide member by means of bearings 62.

A balance spring 63 coiled about the shaft 57 above the gear 55 with its lower end 64 fixed to the shaft through the medium of the pinion gear 55 and its upper end 65 hooked behind a bearing member 66 which is adapted to engage a portion of the door frame (not shown) balances the weight of the window to facilitate raising and lowering thereof.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figure 7, the structure is substantially identical to that described in Figure 6, with the exception that instead of having the two sets of rack teeth 59 and 60 carried by a single member they are formed on independent members 6'7 and 68, both of which are fixed to the channel 29 at the lower edge of the window. In this instance, the bearing structure for the lower end of the shaft 57 is slightly altered and a differently constructed guide member 69 which engages only the rack member 67 is provided.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 8, a single rack member 76 is fixed to the window channel 29 and is slidably guided in a guide member '71. This rack member has rack teeth '72 at one side only and is of such length as to extend across the distance between a lower pinion 73 and an upper pinion 74 mounted on shafts '75 and '76 respectively. The shafts 75 and 76 have their axes converging, and are drivingly connected by bevel gears 77. A driving mechanism including a bevel gear 58 and crank actuated shaft 44 similar to that shown and described in the preferred embodiment is employed to actuate the shafts 75 and '76.

In each of the modifications it is noted that the rack member connected with the window is successively operated by vertically spaced drive pinions so that the length of the rack member may be materially reduced to permit the regulator structure to be applied in installations where the depth of the well beneath the window opening of the door is but slightly greater than the height of the window; and from the foregoing description taken'in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art to which an invention of the character described appertains, that I proa window pane comprising, a driven member rigidly connected with the window pane and pro jectingentirely from the lower edge thereof intermediate the sides of the window pane, means to mount said driven member for movement in a straight line parallel with the opening and closing movement ot the window pane and to. hold said driven memberfirmly so that the window pane is guided thereby and held against tilting during openingand closing, said mounting means embodying spaced rigid guide ways with which the opposite longitudinal edges of the driven member are slidably engaged, the driven member being shorter than the desired movement of the window pane, and spaced drive means for actuating said driven member to open and close the window pane, said spaced drive means being successively operable on the driven member whereby the desired movement longer than the length of the driven member is obtained.

3. A window regulator adapted to open and close a window pane comprising, an element rigid with the window pane and extending longitudinally from one edge thereof in a direction parallel with the opening and closing movement of the window pane, a fixed supporting structure, guide means carried by said supporting structure and having a sliding engagement directly with the opposite edges of said element to guide it and the window pane for movement along a fixed axis, spaced drive members operable on said element to move the same to open and close the window pane and mounted from said supporting structure, and means for simultaneously actuating said spaced drive members.

4. A window regulator for raising and lowering a window pane comprising a rack member having a rigid connection with the window pane, spaced drive pinions successively operable on said rack member to raise and lower the same, means for simultaneously actuating said spaced drive pinions, and guide means independent of the spaced drive pinions and slidably engaged directly with the rack member to rigidly hold the same against any movement except in a vertical direction and for retaining the same meshed with at least one of said spaced drive pinions.

5. A window regulator for raising and lowering a window pane, comprising a rack rigid with the pane, means for guiding the rack for vertical movement, spaced drive pinions successively operable on said rack to raise and lower the same, an element eccentrically connected with each of said drive pinions to coordinate theirdriving action,

and means for imparting a reciprocating action to spaced drive pinionsto coordinate their action,

and means for actuating said element to reciprocate the. same and simultaneously actuate the spaced drive pinions.

7. A window'regulator for raising and lowering a window pane comprising a rack having a rigid connection with the window pane, spaced drive pinions successively operable on said rack to raise and lower the same, anelement eccentrically connected. with each of said drive pinions to coordinate their actions, an actuator eccentrically connected with said element to impart reciprocation thereto. and simultaneously drive the pinions, and balance means connected with said reciprocating element to ofi-set the weight of the window pane.

8. A window regulator for raising and lowering a window pane comprising a rack having a rigid connection with the window pane, spaced drive pinions successively operable on said rack to raise and lower the same, an element eccentrically connected with each of said drive pinions to coordinate their actions, an actuator eccentrically connected with said element to impart reciprocation thereto and simultaneously drivethe pinions, and a balance spring adapted to be wound up by reciprocation of said element to lower the window whereby the spring balances the weight of the window.

9. In a window regulator for opening and closing a window pane, arack rigid with the pane, spaced pinions successively operable on the rack, a drive handle for the pinions located remote from the pinions, and a member eccentrically connected with the pinions and the handle for imparting driving force from the handle to the pinions.

10. In a window regulator for opening and closing a window pane, a rack rigid with the pane, spaced pinions successively operable on the rack, a handle remote from the pinions, a member eccentrically connected with the pinions and the handle to transmit rotation from the handle to the pinions, a crank element connected with said member to be driven thereby, and a balance spring associated with the crank element to be wound up, and unwound as the handle is actuated in one direction or the other.

11. In a window regulator for opening and member connecting the pinions to synchronize their movements, and an operating handle connected with said member for driving the pinions. 12. In a window regulator for opening and closing a window pane, a rack member rigid with the window pane, spaced pinions successively operable. on the rack member, a drive handle for the pinions located remote from the pinions, and a member connecting the pinionswith each other and the drive handle with the pinions to impart driving force from the handle to the pinions.

13. In a window regulator for opening and closing a window pane, a rack member rigid with the pane, spaced pinions successively operable on the rack member, a drive handle remote from the pinions, a member connecting the drive handle member connecting the drive handle and pinions to be wound up and unwound as the handle is actuated in one direction or the other.

14. In a window regulator for opening and closinga window pane, a rack member rigid with the window pane, spaced pinions successively operable on the rack member, a drive handle remote from the pinions, a shaft connecting the pinions to synchronize their actions and extending to the drive handle, and a driving connection between the handle and said shaft.

15. A window regulator for opening and closing a window pane, comprising a rack rigid with the window pane, a guide-way slidably mounting the rack, an element connected with the guide-way to support the same, spaced pinions carried by said element and successively operable on the rack, a drive handle carried by said element remote from the pinions, and a member connecting the pinions with each other to synchronize their actions and connecting the pinions with the drive handle to impart driving force from the handle to the pinions.

16. A window regulator for opening and closing a window pane, comprising a rack rigid with the window pane, a guideway slidably mounting the rack, an element connected with the guideway to support the same, spaced pinions carried by said element and successively operable on the rack, a drive handle carried by the said element remote from the pinions, a member connecting the pinions with each other to synchronize their actions and connecting the pinions with the drive handle to impart driving force from the handle to thepinions, and a balance spring connected with said support element and the connecting member and operable to offset the weight of the window pane.

17. A window regulator for opening and closing a window pane, comprising a supporting element, a'rack rigidly connected with the window pane and slidably mounted on the supporting element, spaced pinions carried by the supporting element and successively operable on the rack, a drive handle for the pinions carried by the supporting element at a point remote from the pinions, a balance spring to offset the weight of the window pane carried by the supporting element at a point remote from the pinions and the drive handle, and a unitary member connecting the pinions with each other and with the drive handle and balance spring to impart the driving force of the handle and the counter-balancing action of the spring to the pinions.

18. A window regulator for opening and closing a window pane comprising a supporting element, a rack rigid with the window pane and guided for longitudinal motion on said supporting element, spaced pinions successively operable on the rack, a drive handle carried by the supporting element, and a unitary member eccentrically connected with the pinions and the drive handle to impart rotation of the handle to the pinions.

19. A window regulator for opening and closing a window pane comprising, a supporting element, a rack rigid with the window pane and guided for longitudinal motion on said supporting element, spaced pinions successively operable on the rack, a drive handle carried by the supporting element, a unitary member eccentrically 5 connected with the pinions and the drive handle to impart rotation of the handle to the pinions, and a counter-balance spring connected with the said member at a point remote from its connection with the pinions and the drive handle to offset the weight of the window pane and assist the actuation of the pinions past dead center.

20. A window regulator for opening and clos ing a window pane comprising, a rack rigid with the window, spaced pinions successively operable on the rack, a drive handle for the pinions remote therefrom, a crank carried by the drive handle, and a member connected with the crank and eccentrically connected with the pinions to impart driving force from the handle to the pinions.

21. A window regulator for opening and closing a window pane comprising, a supporting element, a rack rigid with the window pane and guided for longitudinal movement on said supporting element, spaced pinions carried by the supporting element and successively operable on the rack, a drive handle rotatably mounted on the supporting element at a point remote from the pinions, a crank connected with the drive handle, a unitary member eccentrically connected with the pinions to co-ordinate their movements and connected with the crank whereby driving force is imparted from the handle to the pinions, a crank journalled on the supporting element at a point remote from the pinions and the handle and connected with said unitary member, and a counter-balance spring connected with the supporting element and said last mentioned crank to be wound up and unwound during actuation of the pinions by the handle.

22. A window regulator for opening and closing a window pane, comprising a supporting element, a rack rigid with the window pane and guided for longitudinal movement on said supporting element, spaced pinions carried by the supporting element and successively operable on the rack, a drive handle rotatably mounted on the supporting element at a point remote from he pinions, a crank connected with the drive handle, a unitary member eccentrically connected with the pinions to co-ordinate their movements and connected with the crank whereby driving force is imparted from the handle to the pinions, a crank journalled on the supporting element and eccentrically connected with the unitary member, said second crank forming an additional support for said unitary member and a rotatable hub, and a spiral counterbalance spring mounted on said hub with one end connected with the supporting element and the other end connected with the hub to be wound up and unwound during actuation of the pinions by the handle.

23. A window regulator for opening and closing a window pane comprising, a supporting element, a guide-way carried by the supporting element, a rack slidable in the guide-Way and rigidly connected with the window, spaced pinions journalled on the supporting element with their peripheries extending into the guide-way for successive engagement with the rack, a drive handle journalled on the supporting element at a point remote from the pinions, a crank connected with the drive handle, and a wobble plate eccentrically connected with each pinion and with the crank to impart driving force from the handle to the pinions.

24. A window regulator of the character described comprising, a substantially rectangular supporting frame, a channel guide-way at one side of the supporting frame, a rack slidable in the channel guide-way and adapted to be rigidly connected with a window pane to be opened and closed, spaced pinions journalled at two adjacent corners of the supporting frame and extending into the channel guide-way for successive en gagement with the rack, a drive handle journalled at a third corner of the supporting frame, a crank connected with the drive handle, and a wobble plate eccentrically connected with each of the pinions and connected with the crank to impart driving force from the handle to the pinions.

25. A window regulator of the character described, comprising a substantially rectangular.

supporting frame, a channel guide-way at one side of the supporting frame, a rack slidable in the channel guide-way and adapted to be rigidly connected with a window pane to be opened and closed, spaced pinions journalled at two adjacent corners of the supporting frame and extending into the channel guide-way for successive engagement with the rack, a drive handle jour- STANLEY W. NICHOLSON. 

